Military Artifacts

historic ornate victorian military buckle

NPS

 

This decorative Victorian brass buckle was recovered from the US Army dump at Crissy Field during archeological excavations in 1999. The site had numerous decorative clothing items for both men and women, including suspender snaps, cuff links, garter buckles, and glove snaps. These artifacts provide an interesting glimpse into the tastes and fashions of Army men and their families who lived at the Presidio during the years the dump was operational, c.1880-1912.

 
fragmented pieces of historic army dress helmets

NPS

 

These artifacts were recovered from the US Army dump at Crissy Field during archeological excavations in 1999. The artifacts were cataloged separately over the course of several months and their function was initially unknown. After perusing historic photographs of US Army dress uniforms for a different artifact several months later, the cataloger recognized that these pieces were all part of US Army plumed dress helmets from roughly the 1880s to 1905. They are, from left to right: plumed US Army dress helmet base plate from exterior crown of helmet (octagonal oak leaf and acorn pattern, stamped brass with hole in center for helmet spike); a small decorative brass disk, used to attach cords onto the outside of dress helmets or as part of the plume holder rod; a washer from the interior of military dress helmet that held the helmet's plume rod or staff tightly in place against the crown, manufactured by Raymold and Whitlock.

 
fragment of a 12" shot gun shell

NPS

 
 

This 12 gauge shotgun shell was manufactured by the Union Metallic Cartridge Company (headstamp "U.M.C. Co. No 12 Union").The shell, along with many other spent ammunition rounds, was recovered during excavations of the United States Army Dump at Crissy Field in the 1999 excavation prior to wetland rehabilitation. The Army used the dump for nearly 30 years, from the 1880s until it was leveled in 1912 in preparation for the Panama Pacific Exposition.

 

Please visit the park's Artifacts and Collection page.

Please visit the park's Archeology at Golden Gate page.

Last updated: February 28, 2015

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